Heating cylinder for hydrometer testing



Sept. 21,1954 w, L, MELTON 21,689,904

HEATING CYLINDER FOR HYDROMETER TESTING Filed March 27, 1952 2Shee'ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY@ @gf 6 ATTORNEY Sept- 2l, 1954 w. L. MELTON2,689,904

HEATING CYLINDER FOR HYDROMETER TESTING Filed March 27, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 4 l/l/f//fam L.. Me/Q/j ATTORNEY INVENTOR Patented Sept.21, 1954 HEATING CYLINDER FOR HYDROMETER TESTIN William L. Melton,Selman City, Tex.

Application March 27, 195.2, Serial No. 278,906

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a heating device for heating liquids of a waxnature and it consists in the constructions, arrangements andcombinations herein described and claimed.

It is the cardinal object of the invention to provide a heating devicein the form of a cylinder into which a liquid to be heated and testedfor lcorrect gravity reading may be readily accomplished by the use of ahydrometer.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a heatingdevice which is in the form of an enclosed cylinder, there being aheating element associated with the cylinder for heating a liquidtherein so as to melt the wax substance of the liquid and thus allow ahydrometer to float freely in the liquid and thus obtain a perfectreadingfupon the hydrometer.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an electricalheating device of a portable character which may be readily employed forfield testing, deriving electrical current from a six volt battery, aswell as laboratory testing, in the latter case a 115 volt alternatingcurrent being employed.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will beapparent from the following description, considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the heating device, the liquidcontainer being shown partly in section.

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional view of theliquid container, illustrating the heating unit, and,

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View of the electrical circuit for theheater.

Reference is now made to Figure 1 of the drawings wherein a heatergenerally indicated by the reference character I is shown which in thepresent instance is illustrated as being of cylindrical form and'therefore comprises a base mem-,A

ber Il having an upstanding annular flange I2 for support of a tubularmetallic housing I3. The housing I3 is formed with an opening IQ. uponone side thereof which is closed by an offset housing I5 suitablysecured thereto by means of welding or soldering. The lower ends of thetubular housing I3 and offset housing I5 are secured to the flange I2 bymeans of bolts I6.

Upon the interior of the housing I3 an insulator lining of asbestos I'lis provided, this lining stopping short of the upper end of the openingI4.

A metallic cylinder I8 is employed for contain- (Cl. 21S- 38) ing theliquid to be heated and tested, having a closed bottom I9 and an openupper end 20 through which the liquid may be poured into the cylinder.The cylinder It has a circumferential flange 2I spaced below the opening2li, the flange being formed with a series of tapped apertures 22 formounting the cylinder in the housing I3, as will now be described.

The housing I3 is formed with an inturned flange 23 forming an openingthrough which the reduced end 2d of the cylinder may pass. The flange 23is formed with a series of openings adapted to align with apertures 22of the flange ZI. An annular fiat collar 25 positioned upon the flange2?; and having openings in registry with the openings of the flange 23and apertures 22 of the cylinder is secured to the flange 2l of thecylinder by means of screws 26. The bottom I9 of the cylinder rests uponan asbestos plate 21 and additional asbestos 23 may be employed withinthe housing.

Adjacent the lower end of the cylinder I8, opposite the offset housingI5, the cylinder is formed with an outwardly projecting flat surface 28providing a seat for a thermostat 30, the latter being provided with aknurled control shaft 3| for varying the setting of the thermostatenclosed within the housing 39. The thermostat being enclosed in thehousing I5, the front wall thereof is provided with an opening 32aligned with the shaft 3l, the opening being closed by a removable plate33 thereby enabling access to the control shaft 3 I.

Intermediate the length of the cylinder IB, a heating unit 34 isinstalled, comprising a wire arranged in a tortucus path longitudinallyof the cylinder and circumferentially thereof, and occupying asubstantial area of the cylinder, the heating element 35 being suitablyinsulated as at 3%. For maintaining the heating element in properoperative position upon the cylinder I8 a longitudinal split sleeve 3l'is employed, of a diameter to encircle the cylinder and the heatingelement. The longitudinal edges of the sleeve are bent to provideopposed flanges 3S, the flanges being apertured to receive the clampingbolts and nuts 39 for drawing the sleeve 31 snugly upon the heatingelement and the cylinder. For additional support of the sleevepreventing longitudinal movements, the cylinder I8 is provided withannular collars liti positioned above and below the split sleeve 3?.Openings il are formed in the lower edge of the split sleeve foradmitting respective conductor wires (l2 and i3 which are electricallyconnected to respective ends of the heating element, as will beexplained hereinafter.

A control switch 44 is mounted upon the inner side of the front wall ofthe housing I5 and includes a switch arm 45 exteriorly of the housingfor actuating the switch.

A handle 46 is secured upon the housing I3 directly above the housing I5which will enable ready carrying of the heating cylinder to varyinglocations.

An insulated conductor 41 having a male connector 48 is employedcomprisingr conductor lines 42 and 42', line 42 leading from thenegative side of an electrical source indicated as a battery 49, whilethe positive line 42 is connected to the switch 44 by a binding post 50.Also connected to the post 50 there is a conductor 5I which is connectedto the positive binding post 52 of the thermostat 30 and the conductor43 is likewise connected to the post 52. A condenser 53 is shuntedaround posts 59 and 52 by conductor wires 54 and 55 respectively. Afemale connector 56 cooperates with connector 48 to supply current froma suitable source.

In use, the liquid to be heated for testing purposes is placed in thecylinder I8 to a depth above the heating unit 34, the connectors 48 and56 being electrically connected to a source of current, it is onlynecessary to actuate the switch 44 by means of the switch arm 45 toenergize the heating element 35, the thermostatic device 3| having beenpreviously adjusted.

It will be apparent that since the cylinder I8 containing the liquid isenclosed in the housing and with the heating element closely embracingthe cylinder, the liquid will be quickly heated and that the waxysubstance contained in the liquid will be melted so that when ahydrometer (not shown) is disposed in the liquid, the hydrometer may befreely suspended in the liquid so that a correct specic gravity readingmay be obtained.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of the device this isby Way of illustration only and I consider as my Own all suchmodifications in constructions as fairly fal1 within the scope of theappended claim.

I claim:

A heating cylinder for hydrometer testing comprising a base, an uprightinsulated housing mounted on the base and having an inwardly disposedfiange at the upper end thereof, a hollow cylinder secured within saidhousing and having an open upper end for admitting a liquid to behydrometer tested, an annular flange below said upper end disposedbeneath the inturned flange of the housing, a collar secured above theange of the housing for connecting said flanges together for support ofthe cylinder, a heating unit comprising a resistance Wire benttortuously in a vertical plane and wound circumferentially around thecylinder so as to extend over a substantial area of the cylinder, aninsulated sleeve enclosing said resistance wire and means for energizingsaid heating unit.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,295,045 Lidberg Feb. 18, 1919 1,404,317 Pieper et al Jan.24, 1922 2,044,573 Hornberger June 16, 1936 2,316,287 Ribas Apr. 13,1943 2,396,578 Kittel Mar. 12, 1946 2,625,641 Jenkins Jan. 13, 1953

